


Truth Is...

by lofisus



Series: They'll Sing Songs About Us [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Angst, Brienne and Jaime are musicians, Cersei Lannister and Jaime Lannister Are Not Related, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Exes, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Past Abuse, Past Cersei Lannister/Jaime Lannister, m is for language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:41:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24065227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lofisus/pseuds/lofisus
Summary: Three years ago Jaime walked away from Brienne without a goodbye.For three years, Brienne spent her days rebuilding herself and her life.Now Jaime is back in town eager to fix his mistakes with her... through song.Title is from the Fantasia song, "Truth Is"
Relationships: Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth
Series: They'll Sing Songs About Us [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1914283
Comments: 4
Kudos: 33





	Truth Is...

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my wonderful friend for betaing this <3 It would honestly be a mess without your help.

“I can’t do this. I _really_ can’t do this.” Jaime muttered as he paced back and forth in the east wing of the stage.

“Quit being such a baby, Lannister.” Bronn came in handing a coffee to Tyrion. “Even if you suck, you’ve still got your looks. I’m sure the ladies will still want you. If not, I’ll gladly take them off your hands.”

“Thanks for you overwhelming support Bronn.” Jaime spat out. Bronn tipped his drink to him.

“Jaime, you’ll be fine. You’ve played it for me several times.” Tyrion reasoned.

“Yeah, but you’re not _her_. If I mess this up, I don’t think she’ll ever talk to me. I’ve already hurt her once.” Jaime winced.

Tyrion sighed. “You know that won’t happen. She’s more honourable and forgiving than any of us.” Tyrion peered around the corner. “She wouldn’t be here if she didn’t like you.” Jaime peeked and found the pillar of woman standing tall in the crowd.

 _Now please let me welcome our final performer, Jaime Lannister!_ The announcer called him on. Tyrion ushered him to the stage whispering “You got this.”

Jaime walked out to centre stage. The audience is clapping but it fades into a hum when he sees her. The harsh light blaring onto him; making it hard to see the crowd. He made sure his guitar was tuned before speaking. “Hey” The mic caught some feedback causing him to panic a little. He adjusted the mic and introduced his song. “Well uh, this song is for someone who I’ve reconnected with recently and I’m glad I did. I think everyone here has felt this way at some point. I couldn’t get everything out in that one meeting so I hope this says it all. Song’s called _Truth Is_.”

Jaime starts playing and the room falls quiet.

_“Ran into an old friend yesterday_

_Caught me by surprise when she called my name_

_She was a familiar face, from a chapter in my past_

_Talked for a while, I smiled and then_

_Said that she was seeing somebody and_

_Told me this was gonna last_

_Showing me his photograph”_

He couldn’t quite bring his face up directly at her, but his eyes are on her. She’s smiling like she was three years ago. Her sapphire eyes penetrating into his soul. Jaime felt more confident and sung with more enthusiasm. As he sang the pre chorus he thought to himself. _Fuck it. It’s now or never._ He looked straight at Brienne and sang the chorus.

_“I never got over you_

_(Truth is) Wish I was standing in his shoes_

_(Truth is) And when it's all said and done_

_Guess I'm still I love with you”_

He didn’t flinch or shrink into his shell. He kept eye contact with her. _Can you hear me wench? It’s you. It’s always been you._ Brienne’s smile faded a little as she realized he was singing to her. Jaime could practically hear her overanalyzing his feelings.

_“(Truth is) I never should have let you go_

_(Truth is) And it's killing me 'cause now I know_

_(Truth is) When it's all said and done_

_Guess I'm still I love with you”_

In this light, he looked golden. Cascaded with a new warmth. Freer. Jaime’s reaffirmation of his feelings for her was overwhelming Brienne. She could hear him pour his soul into the lyrics he was singing. She couldn’t believe it. She didn’t want to believe it. She was broken when he left. He promised her he would never abandon her. He promised that he wouldn’t hurt her. He promised he would never make her cry.

But he did.

Now, she’s moved on. She’s content with the life she’s built; surrounded by friends who helped her feel whole again. She was able to face the man who broke her with a new strength and confidence. But when she agreed to come tonight, she never expected any of this.

***

Jaime continued with the song, really getting into it. _Will this reach you Brienne? I hope it does._ Everyone else in the bar was feeling it too, some even feeling moved by his gesture.

_“Then she said good-bye and she paid for lunch_

_Promised that we'd always keep in touch_

_Grabbed my bags and grabbed my thoughts,_

_Walked away and that was that”_

Jaime was so consumed with the song that he didn’t notice the familiar slender figure coming from the back. Her hair was longer but everything about her was the same. Timeless beauty, small green eyes piercing into him like daggers that Jaime remembered so vividly, especially while she drank her wine, and her smile. That damn smile, which was used for more pain than pleasure. She sat casually at the bar and watched him. When Jaime saw her, he became stiff. _Hell no, fuck that_ was the only thing in his mind after seeing her. No matter how hard he tried to break free, Cersei always had a plan to sink her claws back into him.

_“And all the feelings that I thought were gone_

_Came rushing back to me at once_

_Tried to smile and hide the way I felt_

_But I was thinking to myself”_

As Jaime sang those lines, he was reminded of every fucked-up thing he did just for Cersei. Guilt tripping an older woman until she gave up the last muffin that was Cersei’s favorite, framing her “best friend” for destruction of private property that they caused, and threatening innocent people. _You love me right Jaime? You’d do this for me right Jaime?_ After all this time she still has so much power over him. Jaime was retreating into his shell. _I don’t deserve Brienne. I’m not worthy of her love._

***

He hadn’t seen her for over a year. Finally leaving her after she tried to manipulate him into turning himself in for _her_ hit and run. She cussed him out and called him a coward. She was screaming how she never loved him and had slept with several others when they were together while throwing her things at him. She was arrested and they took her away. The officers dropped him off at his shared apartment with Cersei where he broke down then took everything that was his and left.

He turned to Tyrion, who was now living alone at Casterly Rock, showing up at his doorstep in the middle of the night and let him crash at his place until Jaime could get back on his feet. He would have dreams of Cersei pleading for him to save her which only made him spiral even more. He would talk to Tyrion and it helped, but Cersei had done so much just talking with Tyrion wasn’t enough. Tyrion suggested he’d see a therapist but only if he was ready to (which he was a month later). Months of therapy sessions and support from Tyrion and Bronn later, Jaime was finding his way to live without Cersei.

 _No, I am not going to throw everything I worked on for over a year to have her destroy me again._ Jaime thought. _Nothing ties me to her. She can’t do this. She won’t do this._

He used to think he couldn’t live without her. That they completed each other. A knight in their story. Two pieces of a whole. Except that he wasn’t. They were two whole people. They didn’t complete each other. He was a just a fool in their story. Only took 30 years of his life to realize but better late than never. Jaime looked at Brienne and then to Tyrion and Bronn. This, this was all he needed.

_“Now the truth is it hurts but I that the faults mine_

_'Cause I let her go_

_Tried to get over it but it's messing with my mind_

_(Because I know)_

_I never got over you_

_(Truth is) Wish I was standing in her shoes_

_(Truth is) When it's all said and done_

_Guess I'm still I love with you_

_(Truth is) I never should have let you go_

_(Truth is) It's killing me 'cause now I know_

_(Truth is) When it's all said and done_

_Guess I'm still I love with you_

_I just gotta be honest, I guess,_

_I-I guess, I'm still in love, in love, in love”_

As he sang those lines, Jaime chose to live for himself.

***

When Jaime finished. The room was silent for a few seconds in awe of his performance. Immediately, room erupted into a roar of cheers and applause. He bowed then ran off the stage and received hugs and pats on the back from Bronn and Tyrion. He moved to curtain to see if Brienne was still there, but she was walking towards the exit. Jaime threw his guitar at Bronn and ran after Brienne. He almost caught up to her when Cersei grabbed his arm.

“Jaime,” her tone sultry.

“What do you want, Cersei?” Jaime was impatient.

“I heard you were playing, and I wanted to see you. I’ve missed you.” Her hand caressing his forearm. Brienne was leaving and Jaime wasn’t about to lose her again. He jerked his arm away from Cersei’s grip.

She was taken aback, “What are you doing?” Her green eyes glowing like wildfire. Almost the same as the last time he saw her.

“Choosing me.” Jaime told her and followed Brienne outside.

***

“Brienne wait!” Jaime caught up to Brienne who was waiting across the street at the bus stop.

“Jaime, please just leave me alone.”

“No. I’m not going to lose you again.” Jaime was breathing hard.

“I promised I’d see your performance and I did.” Brienne couldn’t look at him. Not after the way he stared into her soul.

“I meant everything I sang tonight.” Jaime wasn’t going to let her interpretation confuse her. “Everything. I still love you. I’m sorry for all the pain I caused you all those years ago-“

“Three years Jaime! Three years of nothing from you! Not even a goodbye letter!” Brienne’s face was a little flushed. Tears were welling in her sapphire eyes. “I’ve had so many people abandon me that I thought I was going to be alone forever. Then the moment I let my guard down and let you into my life, you leave. Now you’re back and you think we can just fix everything and go back to the way things were?”

“Yes!”

“No! We can’t.” Brienne yelled “It will never be the same anymore.”

“Then why did you come tonight?!” Jaime questioned her. “If you think things can never be the same, why did you come tonight Brienne?” Jaime moved closer to her.

“I-I-I don’t know” Brienne stammered.

“I think you do. I think you feel the same way I do but you’re scared. You’re scared I’m going to take off and leave you again. Well I’m here telling you that I’m not going anywhere.” Jaime proclaimed.

“I don’t trust you, Jaime.” Brienne admitted.

“Then I’ll spend every day of what’s left of our lives earning it back. I’ll do it if it means I can have you in my life again.” Jaime was adamant about that. “What do you say Brienne? Friends?”

She gave him a long hard look. “No.” Jaime frowned and began to walk away, then Brienne spoke. “but I’m willing to try.” Jaime turned around to see her holding out hand for a shake. He locked his hand with hers.

“More than friends?” Jaime asked.

“Don’t push it Lannister.” Brienne teased.

Jaime smiled, “We’ll see about that.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hello thank you for reading this short piece. I've been working on finishing Restless but also trying to sort out my uni classes. My goal is to finish it before the 22nd. I also want to update Seafood Fried Rice and The Places We'll Walk before June. 
> 
> I hope everyone is staying safe during this pandemic.
> 
> Btw, I have tumblr :https://ajc-28.tumblr.com/


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